Abstract: Test structures and alignment marks enable accurate measurements of alignment in the active area of an image sensor device. The alignment marks are formed in the active area replacing pixels near the lithographic shot boundaries of the array. Misalignment across the lithographic shots is assessed through the degree of shifting between the alignment patterns. The alignment marks are located in a pixel location of the active area and can measure the actual lithographic shot-to-shot misalignment in the active area, which can be used to make an accurate lithographic alignment. Having such alignment marks allows for a more accurate assessment of the in-line process manufacturing capability as well as a more rapid feedback of in-array drift, which would allow a faster and better control for yield loss.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a substrate, a thin film transistor on the substrate, a dielectric layer over the thin film transistor, a stacked metal layer on and extending through the dielectric layer to the thin film transistor, a bulk heterojunction layer directly coupled to the stacked metal layer, either a hole transport layer directly coupled to the bulk heterojunction layer, and a top contact layer directly coupled to the hole transport layer, or a top contact layer directly coupled to the bulk heterojunction layer. The bulk heterojunction layer includes an electron donor/acceptor material, the hole transport layer includes a transparent conductive polymer material, and the top contact layer includes a transparent conductive material. The image sensor includes a moisture barrier layer directly coupled to the top contact layer, including an optically clear adhesive and a laminated transparent barrier film.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a substrate, a thin film transistor on the substrate, a dielectric layer over the thin film transistor, a stacked metal layer on and extending through the dielectric layer to the thin film transistor, a bulk heterojunction layer directly coupled to the stacked metal layer, either a hole transport layer directly coupled to the bulk heterojunction layer, and a top contact layer directly coupled to the hole transport layer, or a top contact layer directly coupled to the bulk heterojunction layer. The bulk heterojunction layer includes an electron donor/acceptor material, the hole transport layer includes a transparent conductive polymer material, and the top contact layer includes a transparent conductive material. The image sensor includes a moisture barrier layer directly coupled to the top contact layer, including an optically clear adhesive and a laminated transparent barrier film.

Abstract: A flexible probe card according to the present invention includes a compression layer; a transport layer coupled to the compression layer; and a contact layer coupled to the transport layer. The compression layer is formed of encapsulated closed cell polyurethane foam. The transport layer includes connectors for coupling the flexible probe card to a tester. The contact interface layer includes embedded conductive wires placed in a fixed grid pattern in a silicon rubber layer, without a specific connector pattern associated either with the transport layer or a device under test.

Abstract: A test structure for characterizing an organic photodiode image sensor includes, on a common substrate, a cathode sheet resistance portion; a diode capacitance portion; an organic photodiode sheet resistance portion; a contact resistance portion; a step coverage portion; a quantum efficiency portion; a film adhesion portion; and an inkjet printing portion. The organic photodiode sheet resistance portion includes gate metal sets, each gate metal set including four evenly spaced metal lines terminating in a probe point, wherein the spacing within each gate metal set is progressively increased from a first gate metal set to a last gate metal set, and wherein a spacing between each gate metal set is larger than the spacing within any gate metal set; and an organic photodiode sheet formed over the gate metal sets.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a sensor array includes providing a carrier glass substrate, forming an amorphous silicon layer over the carrier glass substrate, forming a first heat buffer layer over the amorphous silicon layer; forming a mirror layer over the first heat buffer layer; forming a second heat buffer layer over the mirror layer; forming a flexible substrate over the second heat buffer layer; and forming an active device layer over the flexible substrate. The method of the present invention further comprises exposing the sensor array to light from a flash lamp and then detaching the carrier glass substrate from the sensor array. The method of the present invention optionally further comprises filtering the light from the flash lamp to wavelengths below 350 nm.

Abstract: Test structures and alignment marks enable accurate measurements of alignment in the active area of an image sensor device. The alignment marks are formed in the active area replacing pixels near the lithographic shot boundaries of the array. Misalignment across the lithographic shots is assessed through the degree of shifting between the alignment patterns. The alignment marks are located in a pixel location of the active area and can measure the actual lithographic shot-to-shot misalignment in the active area, which can be used to make an accurate lithographic alignment. Having such alignment marks allows for a more accurate assessment of the in-line process manufacturing capability as well as a more rapid feedback of in-array drift, which would allow a faster and better control for yield loss.

Abstract: A method of forming an organic semiconductor includes forming a thin film transistor (“TFT”) backplane; forming a pixel well over the TFT backplane using a photoresist; performing a first plasma etch of the pixel well; stripping the photoresist in the pixel well; performing a second plasma etch of the pixel well; performing a first wash of the pixel well; exposing the pixel well to ultraviolet light; performing a second wash of the pixel well; and forming an organic photodiode in the pixel well.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a sensor array includes providing a carrier glass substrate, forming an amorphous silicon layer over the carrier glass substrate, forming a first heat buffer layer over the amorphous silicon layer; forming a mirror layer over the first heat buffer layer; forming a second heat buffer layer over the mirror layer; forming a flexible substrate over the second heat buffer layer; and forming an active device layer over the flexible substrate. The method of the present invention further comprises exposing the sensor array to light from a flash lamp and then detaching the carrier glass substrate from the sensor array. The method of the present invention optionally further comprises filtering the light from the flash lamp to wavelengths below 350 nm.

Abstract: A method of forming an organic semiconductor includes forming a thin film transistor (“TFT”) backplane; forming a pixel well over the TFT backplane using a photoresist; performing a first plasma etch of the pixel well; stripping the photoresist in the pixel well; performing a second plasma etch of the pixel well; performing a first wash of the pixel well; exposing the pixel well to ultraviolet light; performing a second wash of the pixel well; and forming an organic photodiode in the pixel well.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an image sensor device includes, in a first manufacturing facility, forming a first set of patterned silicon, metal, and insulating layers on a glass substrate, forming an electrical and mechanical protection layer over the first set of patterned silicon, metal, and insulating layers, and, in a second manufacturing facility, removing the electrical and mechanical protection layer, forming a second set of patterned silicon, metal, and insulating layers over the first set of patterned silicon, metal, and insulating layers, forming a plurality of photosensors in communication with at least the second set of patterned silicon, metal, and insulating layers to form an unpassivated image sensor device, and forming a passivation layer over the unpassivated image sensor device. The materials used in the first set of layers and second set of layers can be completely or partially different.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an image sensor device includes providing a metalized thin film transistor layer on a glass substrate; forming an inter-layer dielectric layer on the metalized thin film transistor layer; forming a via through the inter-layer dielectric layer; forming a metal layer the inter-layer dielectric and within the inter-layer dielectric layer via for contacting the metalized thin film transistor layer; forming a bank layer on the metal layer and the inter-layer dielectric layer; forming a via through the bank layer; forming an electron transport layer on the bank layer and within the bank layer via for contacting an upper surface of the metal layer; forming a bulk heterojunction layer on the electron transport layer; forming a hole transport layer on the bulk heterojunction layer; and forming a top contact layer on the hole transport layer.

Abstract: A flexible probe card according to the present invention includes a compression layer; a transport layer coupled to the compression layer; and a contact layer coupled to the transport layer. The compression layer is formed of encapsulated closed cell polyurethane foam. The transport layer includes connectors for coupling the flexible probe card to a tester. The contact interface layer includes embedded conductive wires placed in a fixed grid pattern in a silicon rubber layer without a specific connector pattern associated either with the transport layer or a device under test.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an image sensor device includes providing a metalized thin film transistor layer on a glass substrate; forming an inter-layer dielectric layer on the metalized thin film transistor layer; forming a via through the inter-layer dielectric layer; forming a metal layer on the inter-layer dielectric for contacting the metalized thin film transistor layer; forming a bank layer on the metal layer and the inter-layer dielectric layer; forming a via through the bank layer; forming an electron transport layer on the bank layer and within the bank layer via for contacting an upper surface of the metal layer; forming a bulk hetero-junction layer on the electron transport layer; forming a hole transport layer on the bulk hetero-junction layer; and forming a top contact layer on the hole transport layer. The bulk hetero-junction layer and/or the top contact layer are applied using a screen printing technique.

Abstract: A test structure for characterizing an organic photodiode image sensor includes, on a common substrate, at least one of a cathode sheet resistance portion; a diode capacitance portion; an OPD sheet resistance portion; a contact resistance portion; a step coverage portion; a quantum efficiency portion; a film adhesion portion; and an inkjet printing portion.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an image sensor device includes providing a substrate; forming a buffer layer on the substrate; forming a metal oxide channel on the buffer layer; forming a gate oxide layer on the buffer layer and the metal oxide channel; forming a gate metal layer on the gate oxide layer; forming a photodiode stack on the gate metal layer; patterning the gate oxide layer and the gate metal layer to form a first portion under the photodiode stack, and a second portion comprising a transistor; forming an interlayer dielectric layer over at least the photodiode stack and the transistor; forming a plurality of vias in the interlayer dielectric layer; and metalizing the vias to form contacts to the image sensor device.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an image sensor device includes, in a first manufacturing facility, forming a first set of patterned silicon, metal, and insulating layers on a glass substrate, forming an electrical and mechanical protection layer over the first set of patterned silicon, metal, and insulating layers, and, in a second manufacturing facility, removing the electrical and mechanical protection layer, forming a second set of patterned silicon, metal, and insulating layers over the first set of patterned silicon, metal, and insulating layers, forming a plurality of photosensors in communication with at least the second set of patterned silicon, metal, and insulating layers to form an unpassivated image sensor device, and forming a passivation layer over the unpassivated image sensor device. The materials used in the first set of layers and second set of layers can be completely or partially different.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an image sensor device includes providing a metalized thin film transistor layer on a glass substrate; forming an inter-layer dielectric layer on the metalized thin film transistor layer: forming a via through the inter-layer dielectric layer; forming a metal layer the inter-layer dielectric and within the inter-layer dielectric layer via for contacting the metalized thin film transistor layer; forming a bank layer on the metal layer and the inter-layer dielectric layer: forming a via through the bank layer; forming an electron transport layer on the bank layer and within the bank layer via for contacting an upper surface of the metal layer; forming a bulk heterojunction layer on the electron transport layer; forming a hole transport layer on the bulk heterojunction layer; and forming a top contact layer on the hole transport layer.

Abstract: The invention is directed to devices that allow for simultaneous multiple biochip analysis. In particular, the devices are configured to hold multiple cartridges comprising biochips comprising arrays such as nucleic acid arrays, and allow for high throughput analysis of samples.